Was just reading an old post which I typed quite a few years back and this question came to my mind: "Are there really bad people or are our actions all just a product of our past experiences?"

So many a time when we see others do something that is not aligned with our morals/beliefs, we as outsiders would tend to judge them. But we fail to ask ourselves this question; "if we've been through whatever they have, would we have done the same thing?"

When we judge others, we often judge them based on our own expectations and our own past experiences. However, the truth is that other people do not share our past experiences and hence they are probably not inclined to think and act the way we do.

I mean, I'm not saying that people who steal are not in the wrong and should be excused from punishment. Yes, people who do things that are "wrong" should be told that they are wrong and we should try and correct their behaviour. But it gets to the point where we start judging them and condemning their actions, does that make us any better of a person?

Take for example someone who stole something at a shop. As an outsider, we would think why did they have to steal? If they needed money, they could work. If most people can do it, why not them? But in actual fact we don't know what they've actually been through.

If we were to really look back, this could really be much more complex of an issue than it seems. Most of us are lucky enough to be born into happy and financially stable families, but what about those that aren't? These people were already at a disadvantage right from the very beginning. And this itself could already be the start of many issues that could probably have contributed to their choice to steal something. Mental stress since a young age, bad company, resentment, lack of proper education, jobs that don't pay enough, etc.

If we all had a choice, I don't think anyone would choose to be a bad person.

Anws, I'm not just talking about people who commit crimes. I'm talking about that insensitive co-worker, that friend who backstabbed you, that scumbag who broke your heart, that stranger who intentionally shoved you. It's the people you meet each day, the people who have lives independent of yours, lives that you weren't a part of and a past you're unaware of.

Just a reminder to myself to not be so quick to judge. Just think of all the times you did something you weren't proud of, all the times you did something which you had to apologise for. Afterall, no one is perfect.